Chapter 3: Perfect as Prey
A beauty with a longsword at her waist stood in the doorway, staring daggers at him.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief inside. 'Geumran is here. Thank goodness.'
Phantom Fox Unit Leader Ok Geumran. She might just be on my side. Not that I could count on it for sure.
'I need to test the waters somehow. But how?'
"Young Cult Leader?"
"Yeah."
I tilted my head slightly, peering past her. The maids, who had been peeking inside with curious eyes, hurriedly looked away.
Meanwhile, the physicians from the medicine hall looked ready to barge into the bedroom behind her.
'First things first—shake off the eyes.'
I slipped back into my thug Young Cult Leader act.
"I said no one comes in, and you just open the damn door? Fucking hell. You think you can ignore me too after that Jang Hosam punk outsmarted me?"
"Forgive my rudeness, my lord. I have urgent news to deliver."
"Shut your trap and get out."
"……."
"Won't leave? Fine, I'll go. What're you staring at? Move if you don't wanna die!"
I glared at everyone as I stormed outside. The non-martial artists didn't dare follow.
But Ok Geumran was different.
"I'll attend to the Young Cult Leader. The maids can stay behind."
She neatly shook off the maids and stuck right behind me.
I mimicked the Young Cult Leader's strut as I led her somewhere else.
Yong Baekheon had a private training ground where he practiced the Yong Demon Clan's secret arts. No prying eyes there.
'But how do I read her intentions?'
No good ideas came to mind.
By the time I was deep in thought, we'd reached Yong Baekheon's training ground.
The clearing was, as expected, empty.
Ok Geumran followed me right to the center—then suddenly blocked my path.
"……."
"……."
We stood in silence. Red sunset spilled over the clouds, painting a romantic scene, but the air was ice-cold.
Her jade-carved beauty twisted slowly.
'No way?'
The moment I swallowed hard—
Red killing intent poured from her eyes.
She whipped out her sword.
"Yong Baekheon! You heartless bastard—you finally killed Hosam! Fine, I'll kill you today and join him in hell!"
Just as I thought!
I backpedaled fast, waving my hands.
"Geumran! It's me! Hosam!"
"Bullshit!"
"No, really! I'm not the Young Cult Leader—I'm Jang Hosam! I fucked that guy up and survived!"
"Prove it!"
Ok Geumran thought I was Yong Baekheon—and she was coming at me to kill.
Verification, done naturally.
Proof? Easy.
"This! From when we ate noodles the other day and I spilled the broth on my arm—burn mark! That convincing enough?"
"……!"
To look exactly like the Young Cult Leader, I'd undergone procedures to erase little traits. Visually, we were identical.
But personal scars? Those stuck.
"And think about it logically. I could impersonate the Young Cult Leader, but why would he impersonate a street rat like me?"
"……!"
"Trust me a little."
"You're really... Hosam?"
"Told ya!"
"No way."
But the venom drained from her face.
I sighed in relief.
"Whoa, you were serious too. Had me on edge there for a sec."
"You sure you're Hosam? How...?"
Geumran led the Phantom Fox Unit, the women's guard—and was one of the Young Cult Leader's closest.
But she hated Yong Baekheon and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult as much as I did.
'She used to be an Emei Sect disciple, kidnapped and forced into demonic arts, just like me.'
Even though I looked just like Yong Baekheon, she'd always said my eyes were like her little brother's and doted on me.
She was the only one I could open up to, same boat and all.
"What the hell happened?"
"Long story, but I got lucky."
"Buddha must've helped!"
"Nah, he didn't lift a finger. Mister Bong did, though."
"Who?"
"Forget it. Came back from the dead, mouth's running wild."
What? Mister Bong?
Anyway, I glossed over it. Couldn't explain a demonic spirit to her here.
"Thank goodness. Really."
"But why charge in like that? If I was the real Young Cult Leader, you'd be—gah!"
She strode up and yanked me into a hug.
Trapped in her arms, I squirmed, but she sobbed and wouldn't let go.
"I thought you were really dead. You have no idea how hard it was hiding my killing intent to get here."
"……."
She'd always joked about avenging me if I got tossed away like trash.
I'd laughed it off—didn't think she'd actually draw her sword.
'Geumran is definitely on my side.'
But some people could never be.
The die-hard demonic cultists. I had to hide who I was from them, airtight.
One slip, and I'd be chopped to bits.
'The Grand Cult Leader is the biggest threat. I have to avoid those guys at all costs...'
But as soon as the thought hit—trouble struck.
Geumran wiped her tears and sighed deeply.
"Hosam, the Cult Leader's Palace summoned the Young Cult Leader. What do we do?"
Cult Leader's Palace summons?
I froze.
Her words hit like thunder.
"They're holding a Law Enforcement Council to punish him. Charges: acting on his own, causing an incident while trying to handle a stand-in secretly. And neglecting to safeguard a sacred cult relic. Two counts."
"The Grand Cult Leader knows The Chronicles of the Sealed Demon is gone? Already?"
"It's been three days since it happened. Whether treatment worked or not, they want to call him in, punish him, and close the case."
My head spun.
Punishment itself? No biggie. As Yong Baekheon's double, I'd taken plenty in his place.
His penalties were always house arrest or fasting—light stuff.
But meeting the Grand Cult Leader? That was the problem.
Crimson Heavenly Demon Yong Mugeuk. Lord of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, archenemy of the Central Plains martial world!
The old man was Yong Baekheon's grandfather.
A dozen years back, he'd lost his eldest son and daughter-in-law to some unknown cause.
Yet he skipped his other sons to name his grandson Young Cult Leader.
Captivated by the kid's insane talent.
And young Yong Baekheon was a prodigy.
'Till he grabbed the seat and turned into a total wastrel.'
His cruelty was fine for a demon. But slacking on training for booze and women? Not okay.
The Heavenly Demon was emperor of the mountains, king of the demonic path.
His heir needed unquestionable power.
'That's why I was a thorn in Yong Mugeuk's side.'
His grandson's least favorite toy.
And now I'd blown up The Chronicles of the Sealed Demon and eaten Yong Baekheon.
If that got out?
'Terrifying.'
Underground prison, dissected piece by piece—at minimum.
Geumran paled too.
"Hosam, what now?"
She gripped my hand, trembling.
"They won't recognize you like I didn't—but the palace will. Peak demons can spot traces of the Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes he trained."
"Traces of the Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes..."
"They'll check your eyes for that blue glow right away. No glow? Suspicion starts. It's only a matter of time till you're exposed!"
"……."
That's when I sensed Bongmareung.
More like his eerie gaze leaking out.
The spirit from The Chronicles of the Sealed Demon squinted in amusement.
There was my clue.
"Hosam, this isn't the time! You have to flee the mountains ASAP. I'll buy time—go now!"
"Hold on."
"Huh?"
"Give me a sec to think."
"……?"
I shifted my focus from Geumran to Bongmareung.
The pitch-black mass of letters in my head read my thoughts and replied.
Right. You can learn the Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes from this spirit. Plus, with some of Yong Baekheon's memories, it'll be a breeze.
I breathed easier. Major problem solved.
Time was the issue now.
'Breeze or not, it'll take days, right?'
No martial arts experience—hard to gauge.
Maybe longer.
But Bongmareung had a shocker.
Half a day, tops.
'Huh? What?'
You need that blue glow, right? I can teach you to that level in half a day. Follow my guidance faithfully.
Bongmareung was way more capable than I'd thought.
Made me feel irreverent for calling him "Mister Bong."
'So just half-ass the Ghostly Azure Divine Eyes and I'm good?'
But the real snag came last.
No, not done yet. You know one thing, ignorant of two.
'Huh? What's that?'
What did this spirit say earlier? When you first woke—what do you remember?
'Earlier...'
He'd told me to hunt right away. Headaches from qi depletion. Urgent need to absorb primal demonic qi.
Learning a new technique now? It's like a dying patient jumping up to run. And there is one more thing.
'...?'
This spirit needs your qi to move. Our chats burn a tiny bit of it. Don't believe me? Check your hand.
'...!'
I glanced down—and flinched.
My taut hand was cracking like a turtle shell.
Mummifying without me noticing.
Get it? If you don't secure qi soon, you will collapse. You might never wake up!
I needed primal demonic qi now.
But from where? Who?
Bongmareung cackled sinisterly right then.
Why hesitate? The perfect prey is right in front of you.
'What? Perfect prey?'
The girl before you—isn't she a demon? With zero guard up, she is the perfect prey. Keh heh heh heh!
Bongmareung was tempting me to devour Geumran.
This mad bastard.